Panellists at Canadian Lawyer’s Women in Law Summit in Toronto said that books like “Lean In” have focused on a woman’s role in the workplace, but more attention is needed on a workplace’s role in women’s lives. The summit was held on February 12th and focused on how the business model used is designed for men, by men. Specifically designed for straight white men who have wives at home doing everything, so a man can focus on his career.
Dale Osadchuk, a partner at Davies Ward Phillips and Vineberg LLP said, “I always hear, ‘Well, I’m the exception’ . . . . all the big firms began putting in place policies that they didn’t understand, so it almost became window-dressing — the perception of men being, ‘Well, now we’ve dealt with this.’”
There has been a selective, white-washed history of women in the workplace which has always focused on those who are privileged enough to have a spouse stay home and raise children. The structure of law firms today have been fed the same thing over and over again, said Genevieve Boulay, counsel with Westaway Law Group.
Rose Leto, a partner at Neinstein Personal Injury Lawyers further shared, “I think it’s time for the leaders, and the allies and the men to lean in, and to buy in, and to get off their rear end and take some action.”
The panelists said that the relationships at home needs to change and our division of labor at home needs a new perspective. One cannot go on like this, making new system over old foundations. The firm management could take important steps to be great role models. There is a need to redefine success in the legal business. The inherited socioeconomic, cultural context needs to change for the whole business and is not only for an individual.
